What Workers Really Do on 'Business' Trips?

It's not all work and no play for business travelers: New research has found that in the past year, 66 percent of U.S. business travelers have extended a business trip to take a personal vacation.

According to the study, conducted by American Express, those who consider themselves "business travelers" in the United States take an average of seven domestic business trips by air and six international business trips each year. Travelers also said they are taking more day trips compared to overnight trips.

But many workers are treating those business trips like mini vacations. Sixty-one percent of business travelers said they look forward to disconnecting from the office when they are traveling because it gives them a chance to take a break from work. Just 23 percent of the business travelers surveyed said they work while they are on long flights. Far more workers — 56 percent — said they watch movies or read books while on a flight.

Business travelers are also working on their health when traveling for business. Nearly three-quarters of business travelers said they drink extra water while on business trips, while 48 percent said they stretch on the plane. Forty-four percent of respondents said they use the hotel gym. One in five travelers said they avoid alcohol, and 41 percent said they take vitamins while traveling.

"As millennials begin to make up a larger portion of the global workforce, we're seeing more corporate employee travel behaviors that focus on alleviating travel-related stress," said Kevin Carey, global business travel vice president and general manager at American Express. "These travelers place a higher value on work-life balance and are savvy about how to travel efficiently. They make the most of their time on the road, and maintain their mental and physical health while away from the office."

The research was based on the responses of 1,500 business travelers from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Dave started writing for BusinessNewsDaily as a freelance writer in May 2011 and was hired as a staff writer in October 2011. He graduated from Marist College with a B.A. in Communication and a business minor. Prior to writing for BusinessNewsDaily, he interned at The Poughkeepsie Journal and two Marist College publications. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Dave on Google+.